The Purist
by UltraScrub666
Summary: Isaac is a young boy trapped in an endless hell, and alone he is at the mercy of a vengeful God. In his newest challenge in the pursuit of redemption, he is faced with his most difficult trial yet. Bare and naked with no items to be found, one thing is certain, this time he is not alone. Features The Friendly Batter from askafriendlybatter.
1. Chapter 1

Taking his first breath was agony.

Isaac curled in on himself, clutching his bare arms and shoulders. Lying in his own filth and that of untold others, such sqwalour was the least of his concerns.

"God? Why won't you spare me?" A pointless question, but he begged anyways.

His throat and eyes burned, hot tears welling up and streaming down his face. He wanted to lay there and waste away, hold his breath until he couldn't even move or think or-

The distant sounds of his mother's voice reminded him that it would never be. So, he opened his eyes and sat upright, the child trying to put his panicked mind to use.

Grasping his body and the space around him, to his dismay he found nothing. Not his eyepatch, fez, or even his dice. Isaac choked out a sob when he remembered his task.

The voice of God had spoken of the many challenges he needed to complete on his road to redemption. In the light of a cathedral, and angel told him that it would be difficult, relying only on his faith and wits. But then he would be free!

That's assuming it wasn't all a hallucination from eating too many pills. Or that he wasn't crazy.

He remembered reading a Batman comic where he'd been forced to hallucinate a whole different life, but it was all fake. The hero was strong enough to resist it though, but Isaac didn't hope the same for a sniveling crybaby.

"Not like I have a choice..."

Pulling himself to his feet, Isaac headed to the first door infront of him and steeled himself for the usual onslaught of flies and dead children.

The first room was empty, save for a set of four square rows of spikes arranged in a cross. In the center was a key that gleamed a fake silver.

Reaching at it from an angle, it's safely picked up and he proceeds to the next room. From there, it was rocks, pots, and even the occasional chest stowed behind a mountain of poop.

No enemies in sight.

An unusual relief, the boy considered himself lucky but still kept on his toes while he headed for the shop. Isaac was also keeping an eye out for a treasure room.

Faintly he remembered the angel, Uriel was it? Telling him that this one would be one of his hardest challenges. Maybe that meant it would get more difficult later, or that the point of it wasn't to fight?

Either way, he steeled his nerves when he went to open the door. With his odds he'd probably be facing Greed inside, his rotting sockets gleaming with his namesake-

CRASH

The menacing snarl that accompanied it was enough to send all other thoughts to the wayside, while Isaac rushed to try and pick himself off of the floor.

It was big, louder and deeper than any other noise he'd heard before, and that was comparing it to the voice of Lucifer himself. Maybe it was mom? He hoped that he wouldn't get the chance to know what.

Sprinting for all he was worth he was close to getting to the exit, but froze when he realized that if he tried to fight the boss he'd be trapped. Turning on his heels he darted out to find another hiding place, but was sent falling face first into the floor. His feet were stained brown from the shit he slipped in.

A splitting pain left him sobbing on the ground, it felt like someone had driven The Nail right in the middle of his face. Even with his fear he couldn't help but wail in his pain, covering his head while he had a torrential nosebleed.

What sounded like someone dropping a metal barrel down the stairs sounded on the left as it drew closer and closer, and through his tears he could make out the enormous shadow standing over him.

The next thing he knew he was picked up by enormous hands that could only belong to his mother, which only made Isaac cry harder, screaming hysterically while he struggled to free himself. Being brought closer he was trapped in the iron grip, his limbs useless.

There was a flash of light, but the boy didn't see because he was shutting out the face of death. Isaac then felt warm, soft and soothing but the only heat he could imagine was the fires of hell. Why couldn't it be over already?

'Shhhhh, shhhhh...It's alright, it's going to be alright.'


	2. Chapter 2

Instead of the pain of a knife biting into his neck, he was very gently patted by the end of the giant's thumb, accompanied by a deep voice shushing him. To his growing bewilderment, he then was slowly rocked while the voice switched to a soft hum.

The humming stops, and Isaac is pulled closer. He stops thrashing, now realizing that his situation more resembled an embrace than death's grip. His big blue eyes open, glittering with tears while he looked at who was holding him.

Isaac whines, once again filled with fear at the sight of the strange beast looming over him. It sort of looked like a person, but only vaguely.

The mouth started down lower than normal and had fangs poking out from under the lip, spreading from ear to ear if not farther. He couldn't tell since a mane of jet black hair obscured it. The nose was enormous after the mouth, long and taking up most of the face. But still short, the end being smallish and regular while the bridge went on for ages.

It looked like it had four eyes, the upper two open and gazing down at him from beneath the lid of a ballcap, and even then it only had one eye to see with, the other glazed white and blind.

The child was transfixed by the monster's face, fearing that the instant he blinked his life would be crushed into a bloody pulp. He was being tricked, he knew it-Mom used to hold him gently and said that she loved him, only to turn around and torment him more times than he could count. He swallowed the lump in his throat, maybe he could throw a bomb in its face to make him let go?

Isaac didn't trust his kind smile or warm tone and kept silent. The stranger's expression faltered into one of deep concern and averted its gaze, glancing around the room in deep thought before speaking again.

"Everything is going to be fine."

Bull fucking shit, like Isaac was going to believe that in a second. Now, this really was cruel, a monster trying to give him a false sense of security. Who the fuck did he think he was? Isaac felt his blood begin to boil with Sampson's rage, but he kept his mouth shut.

Every second the monster wasted in toying with him was a chance that he had for escape. His head wasn't even hurting at all now, so that must mean that he might have enough health for whatever this, THING was.

Isaac has already come up with a plan now, it'd be risky but it was do or die, he probably had enough health to withstand a bomb at point blank range. At least he hoped.

* * *

"I say, lad did I not heal you well enough?"

The Batter held out the child before him and inspected him carefully, though was cautious to keep his grip firm enough so that he wouldn't go tumbling to the ground. It'd be quite a ways, considering that the purifier stood at almost seven feet tall.

Confused, and hateful eyes met his own. The Batter frowned at what horrific condition the boy was in, covered in filth and sores and undoubtedly fleas. Even with his poor eyesight, the purifier could see the ribs poking out from beneath the child's pale skin.

"I can tell that you're feeling testy with me, so in hopes of getting in your good graces, I offer to give you a meal."

Stepping over to somewhere clean, the purifier set Isaac on the ground and sat down next to him. Even without there being poop in the vicinity, The Batter's pure white uniform was stained by the dirt on the ground. But this didn't bother him in the slightest.

The purifier pulled out a large cooler out of seemingly nowhere, and from the cooler, he withdrew sealed deli meat, lettuce, some bread, and sanitary wipes that he cleaned his own hands with before offering them to the child.

"How does ham and cheese sound?" The Batter asks with a smile.

The boy didn't answer, he was more astonished than anything now. The purifier took this to be an improvement and got right to preparing the sandwich. Humming as he worked, he was careful not to put too much mustard on, and he even took off the crust.

It's a good thing he read that book on how to care for human babies otherwise, he'd be absolutely clueless. Well, The Batter figured that this child was human, he certainly looked it. To boot, he smelled like a normal living animal, and not the processed and overly sweet scent of elsen.

Yes, that big schnoz of The Batter's was sniffing away, and he also cringed with every breath. Christ in heaven does this place stink! He was half tempted to cover it with a cloth, but he didn't want to seem rude to his company.

"There we are!"

The Batter turned and offered the sandwich on a paper plate. The boy was skeptical at first, but it seemed that sheer hunger won through and he took the sandwich. The child took one bite, and then many, and in a matter of moments the meal was devoured.

"Jolly good, did you like it?"

Still the boy was silent, but eventually, he did give his response, in tears.

"Oh no! Did you bite your tongue? Poor thing, here let me get something cold for you to drink, that should help."

Going back into the cooler, the purifier quickly takes out a water bottle and puts it in the child's hands. It was so cold that condensation already covered the outside of it.

'...it. It was good.' The boy said softly, then took a drink.

* * *

This thing was certainly going through a lot of effort to make him lower his guard. Isaac still couldn't get why. The monster-well more of a monster man, was buff beyond comparison. His hands were the size of Mom's even though he wasn't even close to being half as tall, and his arms were as thick as an ancient oak tree.

 _He could snap me in two without even breaking a sweat._ Isaac thought.

 _Or he could bite my head off, or just swallow me whole._ The thing's face seemed human enough, but behind his hair, Isaac caught glimpses of a maw that stretched past from ear to ear. And the way he kept flicking his tongue around, definitely not human.

The way he spoke was the weirdest thing of all. He spoke like a person, a really smart person too. Like in those tv shows Isaac's dad used to show him, the ones about science. Man, mom hated that show, Isaac didn't doubt that they'd have a fight about it.

Isaac was so lost in thought that he'd hardly even noticed when he got put down, and let out a gasp when his feet were back on the ground. He didn't dare take his eyes off of the man, and had already started to back away when he smelled something good.

That salty, rich scent MEAT. Isaac's mouth drooled just at the thought of it. No, no! This was his chance to escape! But. His stomach rumbled. When was the last time he ate something? It's hard to tell time when you can't see the sun. But it's been a couple days at least.

Seeing the food made it all the worse. That was untainted meat, not even discolored in the corners! And there was bread, fresh bread! And some green stuff and cheese, but more importantly bread.

Isaac edged closer, looking over the giant's shoulder impatiently to be fed. It felt like forever before he had the sandwich in his hands, but finally, he was able to view it in all its glory.

Even if he hadn't been living off of curdled milk and dog food for the past few years, the pain in his stomach would have made anything seem like a slice of heaven on earth. But just as Isaac was about to take a bite, a chilling thought stopped him.

 _What if this is how he plans to kill me._

Isaac knew that this man was too smart to be a monster, but what if he was something worse? A demon, maybe one he'd even met before that decided to have some sadistic fun. They'd just tease him with kindness and joy right before smacking him with reality's cruelty.

He wanted to run, but he was so hungry. His frail body had nothing else to eat than himself, and his muscles ached from where they were being consumed in order to keep himself alive. It was a pain he could usually ignore, but not now when he's so close to getting some relief.

'Poison wouldn't be too painful.' Isaac thought. He was ready to laugh at himself, willing to gamble away his life over a sandwich. It was so pathetic, but Isaac knew that he was pathetic. Besides, it wasn't any worse than draining yourself of blood just to play a slot machine.

Isaac's eyes widen as his tongue touches the bread. The bread, it was fresh, freshly baked that week. The lettuce was refreshing and perfectly crisp, and the meat. He thought it was salami, but it was actually roast beef. Thinly sliced and juicy. Then he tasted the faint hint of something acrid, but also a little sweet. His first thought was that its poison, but then he recognized it as mustard. Not anything he'd ask for, but no way that he's complaining.

The best part of the experience was feeling full. Isaac may have eaten a little too fast, but it was just so great not to be hungry anymore. And that was a good sandwich, made by someone with love and care. Just like mom used to.

He didn't want to believe it, he of all people was receiving genuine kindness from a stranger after Isaac had planned to throw a bomb in his face. Yikes, now he was feeling pretty guilty. The very familiar sensation of having hot tears course down his face was a symptom of this shame.

"...it. It was good." He said lamely. Really, he couldn't think of anything better to say? Isaac mentally face palmed at his own awkwardness. Better that he drink some water so that he doesn't say anything else stupid.

* * *

[sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I'm going to try to do more regular posts for now on. Also, who else is hungry?]


	3. Chapter 3

e[Also, I should have addressed this in the first chapter. The Batter in this story is incredibly ooc for what was originally presented in OFF, if anything in this story he's the literal opposite from the cannon personality. This is done very intentionally, as I came up with the concept of a "Friendly" Batter because it seemed to be an interesting road to take to have a man that looks like a monster, instead of a monster that looks like a man. Still, there are times where he does the same action as the source material, just with different intentions behind it. I'll stop rambling and we can get back to the story.]

The Batter smiled, though in a rather stilted way that kept his lips pressed against his teeth so that they wouldn't be so obvious. He furrowed his brow, thoroughly confused with the whole situation, and while the boy drank his water the purifier spent the moment to take a look around.

"This place is absolutely repulsive." The man says frankly, curling his upper lip as he examines the filth-encrusted basement. Isaac made no move to disagree and merely shrugs.

Staring fixated at the blood-stained spikes that were affixed to the floor, The Batter stands up and walks over to them. Poking the side of the hazardous protrusions with his boot, he found them to be very sturdy and built right into the ground. For what end, he could only guess.

He didn't waste too much time wondering, instead focusing on his company and watched him for any sign of further hunger or thirst. "Are you still hungry, thirsty? Anything else I should make for you-Ah. Say, lad what is your name?"

'Isaac.' The boy replied, after wiping his mouth. 'And, no, not right now. I don't want to eat too much and throw up.'

"I see. Pleased to meet you, Isaac." The Batter nodded. Clearly, this child had much experience with bodily discomfort if he knew about that sort of thing. But, he didn't want to pry and went back to looking around at their environment.

"Say, where exactly are we? I didn't intend on transporting myself into this horrific dungeon when I went into The Nothingness. So, is this where they keep political prisoners, or perhaps criminals?" The Batter guessed, turning his head to Isaac for confirmation.

'This is my basement.' The child said, to the purifier's immense bafflement.

"What? What do you mean this is your 'basement'? People don't just have these sorts of things underneath their houses unless they're cannibals I suppose?" He really didn't want to deal with cannibals, and he really hoped that this child wasn't one. _They're so gross and messy. And almost always diseased!_ He could just imagine that if he tried carrying the boy again, after long enough he might find a chunk missing out of his arm.

The poor thing looked hungry enough, so honestly The Batter he wouldn't blame him. _I'll just chastise him for how it's a display of poor manners and character. Yes, that should do it._

'We're not cannibals. Well, at least I'm not...' Isaac paused after some thought and shook his head. Now that just seemed to confirm The Batter's suspicions, and at this, he frowned. Though not for too long, he didn't want to make the boy think that he did something wrong when he was just being honest.

"I believe you. So um, Isaac. Since this is your basement, you wouldn't happen to know how to get out of here, would you?" The purifier asked with a patient smile.

The child had a hopeless expression on his face, and The Batter suspected that Isaac's reply would be no. However, Isaac answered miserably, 'We have to go down.'

"Down? Is there a secret tunnel perhaps, that we go through to get outside?"

Isaac was hesitant to answer. 'No...There's no way outside.' He said meekly.

The Batter was incredulous, but he tried to keep up a good cheer. "No way? Preposterous! We had to have had a way in, so there shouldn't be anything stopping us from getting out. I remember falling down somewhere, let's go find that place again, and see if we can climb back up."

Isaac doesn't respond and continued to be silent as The Batter stood up and walked around, looking at the ceiling. "Come on then, it has to be around here somewhere. Isaac, could you do me a favor and make sure that I don't walk on any spikes will you?"

They walk around the entirety of the level, save for the boss room, and The Batter couldn't find the trap door he fell through.

"Bizarre, there's light coming down from the ceiling, but I can't find the source of it. There's no windows or even any electrics. Isaac, are you sure you know where we are?" The purifier said with a furrowed brow.

'Yes.' Isaac said. 'I've been here a lot, and. We have to go down. There's no other way.' The boy said, not looking at The Batter. Instead, his eyes were locked with an intimidating red door, morbidly decorated with a frame carved to look like a skull.

"I, suppose I'll take your word for it. And that's the way down I take it?" The Batter says, inspecting this strange entrance.

"And you don't look happy to see it." The purifier remarked.

'Not really.' Isaac said blandly, letting out a sigh while he continued to look at the door.

The empty doorway opened into a shadowy abyss, almost as foreboding and entropic as the youtube comment section. The Batter shuddered, why in the name of God was his puppeteer so interested in the internet? While it has some good, it's tainted by ignorance and hatred, in a putrid cesspool of filth and sin-

'...Batter?' Shit, now wasn't the time to get sidetracked.

"Oh! Sorry about that Isaac, I just got lost with a train of thought. But now I'm ready to focus on the present moment. Whatever is inside, I'll deal with it and you can wait out here."

Isaac suddenly smiled, and the purifier smiled back. Awww, the little guy has dimples-And cavities. _First thing I do when we get out of here is to get us both to a dentist._

Of course, he didn't say that out loud, that would be rude. "Say, Isaac. Mind telling me what I might be running into, if you have any idea?"

The smile is gone, and a cold, calculating expression takes the place of joy on Isaac's face. 'It'll probably be Monstro or Larry Junior. Or maybe one of the horsemen. You look strong, but the horsemen spit out acid, and Pestilence even does Ipecac.'

"I beg your pardon, are you talking about the four horsemen of the apocalypse?" The baseball player who fought ghosts and flying whales in shopping malls thought that would be too ridiculous to be truth. Must be his imagination, monsters that Isaac had come up with due to an overactive imagination fueled by nightmares.

Whatever it was, he was resolved to purify this area.

* * *

Man, this guy was _weird._ Not in just how he looked and spoke. _Beats splattering me against the wall._

Licking his chapped lips, Isaac let out a sigh of satisfaction and relaxed. Just a little bit. His eyes were still trained on this 'Batter' as he walked around and spoke.

 _Yeah, this place is pretty gross._ Isaac mentally replied. As he would go forwards, the shit would gradually become less and less common. It made collecting resources a lot harder, but at least it wouldn't smell so bad. Aside from the womb anyways.

Just how was he going to explain this? Assuming that they don't die first. _Ok, we killed my mom and now we have to enter her womb. I bet he'd say "what the fuck is wrong with you?"_ This Batter would think that he was so dumb, and stupid. _Crap, just said the same word twice. I really am stupid._

"Are you still hungry, thirsty? Anything else I should make for you-Ah. Say, lad what is your name?"

Jolting to attention when The Batter came back over and spoke to him, Isaac was ready to open his mouth, but his mother's words rang in his ears. _Don't speak with your mouth full, you filthy sinner!_

Isaac swallowed, and wiped his mouth on the side of his arm. 'Isaac. And, no, not right now. I don't want to eat too much and throw up.'

The concept of food was a complicated one for Isaac. On the one hand, he was absolutely starving and ready to eat a whole mountain of it, especially if it was as good as The Batter's sandwiches. The only issue is that if he ate any more than a little, Isaac knew that he'd get sick. Food was poison, as well as life. _Maybe since it wasn't covered in blue fuzzy stuff it'd go down okay? Nah, I don't want to risk it._

'Say, where exactly are we? I didn't intend on transporting myself into this horrific dungeon when I went into The Nothingness. So, is this where they keep political prisoners, or perhaps criminals?'

The Batter kept talking about more things, most of the words Isaac didn't know, but he was able to pick up the words _prisoner_ and _criminal. Yep, that's me._ Isaac thought, but didn't say out loud. The last thing he wanted was for this stranger to know about his many sins and decide to stop being kind to him.

"This is my basement." He said simply. Isaac could imagine all sorts of ways that this monster of a man could tear him limb from limb, and at this point, Isaac wouldn't have anything to defend himself with aside from a bomb and his tears. _Great, now you're letting the devil plant ideas for sin in your mind. Typical, filthy Isaac._

'What? What do you mean this is your 'basement'? People don't just have these sorts of things underneath their houses unless they're cannibals I suppose?'

It was almost as if this stranger could read his mind, and Isaac gritted his teeth and watched The Batter carefully. Paranoia was already running wild in the child's mind, but unseen years of experience was allowed him to keep a cool head. _Relax, this isn't any different than keeping Daddy Long Legs around. Just do the right things and don't make it mad._

"We're not cannibals. Well, at least I'm not..." Naturally, Isaac was going to paint himself in the best light possible being the wretched liar that he is. But what he said was an inconvenient one, so he changed his words to try to be closer to the truth and try to alleviate his guilt. Besides, it's not like Isaac himself was a cannibal. He may have eaten a lot of mystery meat, but he's pretty sure that it wasn't human flesh. He hoped.

 _Those things that are usually down here, are they my brothers? They look just like me. Maybe, they are me. Just like me_ _in the church. But, ugh. Now's not the time to get lost in my thoughts._ And just like that, The Batter asked him a question that made his heart sink.

'Down? Is there a secret tunnel perhaps, that we go through to get outside?'

"No...There's no way outside."

Against Isaac's expectations, The Batter kept up his happy demeanor as he spoke to him, and Isaac made sure to pay attention and stay in his good graces. He knew it wouldn't last long though, once he knew that Isaac was telling the truth.

He slowly followed The Batter around the level, not bothering to look at the ceiling. No, he was on the lookout for danger. Even if he hadn't seen any on the first passover, that didn't mean that they won't eventually appear. With any hopes, his new ally would smash them to bits.

Eventually, they got back to where they started, and Isaac watched the entrance to the boss room with growing dread. The Batter asked him where they were again and Isaac repeated his answer. He wasn't surprised that The Batter didn't believe him at first, but having to repeat himself isn't exactly Isaac's favorite activity. He tried not to let it show though.

"Not really." Good, The Batter put two and two together for himself. Then, there was a long silence. While Isaac did like having someone to talk to for once, using his voice so much was starting to hurt his throat a little, and his voice was rough from disuse. Isaac turned to the purifier expecting another reply from him, but the tall man stood with a dark look on his face.

Immediately fearing the worst, Isaac tried to call out to the man.

"Batter?"

'Oh! Sorry about that Isaac, I just got lost with a train of thought. But now I'm ready to focus on the present moment. Whatever is inside, I'll deal with it and you can wait out here.' The darkness was fast to vanish, and Isaac let out a sigh of relief. The Batter even started smiling again, a bright, warm smile that looked very out of place on his fearsome face.

 _Wait, he says he's going to handle the boss for me? Sweet!_ Not having to die so early to a monster sounded great to Isaac's ears. Maybe he would be able to handle this challenge without dying! Yeah, right.

'Say, Isaac. Mind telling me what I might be running into, if you have any idea?'

 _Don't get ahead of yourself Isaac._ His momentary joy was fleeting, and instead, Isaac went ahead and pondered The Batter's question. Since they were still in the basement, there's only so many monsters that could appear in the boss room.

"It'll probably be Monstro or Larry Junior. Or maybe one of the horsemen. You look strong, but the horsemen spit out acid, and Pestilence even does Ipecac."

The Batter instantly looked confused and skeptical, questioning Isaac's words, and Isaac had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. _Man, for a familiar this guy sure talks a lot. But, is he a monster or not? I can't really tell._

Without any warning The Batter went forwards and walked straight into the boss room, and Isaac had to sprint to follow after him before the door closed. _Wait, why did I follow him? Whatever, no time to think!_

The boy turned to face whatever abomination would do battle with him. What he saw was a familiar sight, that of a sweaty mound of twisted flesh and skin, with a split lip and a warped mouth, and two beady little eyes filled with infinite spite. It roared at its prey, blood oozing from the gaping infected sores in its mouth, a severed head with it's neck stitched closed and it's lips pouring from internal bleeding.

"Oh, it's Monstro." Isaac said calmly, as if discussing the weather.


	4. OOC check in

[Sorry about taking so long reply! I do intend to finish this story, I've just been busy with school work and whatnot. I'm still very much interested in the story and the characters.]


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